Broken Wings and Mended Hearts
by Poetgirl616
Summary: Anna wasn't planning to meet her soul mate or soul mate's, as some cases may be, anytime soon. She accepts an offer by our favourite billionaire philanthropist and more than one person receives a shock. This wasnt the usual business transaction, and the recipient wasn't a normal customer. Set post Captain America: Winter Soldier.
1. Prologue

**Okay, so this isn't my normal stuff, but I got the idea from one of my favorite stories/authors: Everything She Didn't Know She Wanted by bluecurls**.

* * *

~Prologue~

Anna Shepard walked to her car, enjoying the fresh air after being in the club all night. Her beat up silver Stratus was a welcome sight.

She was ready to do home. However, she wasn't quite ready to sleep.

It was after one thirty in the morning and she was still a bit wired. The money had been beyond great that night, nearly a grand in tips stuffed in her purse.

Even without the tips, she had a nice chunk of change when she left Raven's Wing Strip Bar.

It was also her last night at the club, Rick had terminated her, but agreed to let her finish the night as a courtesy. He didn't want to fire her, but they didn't have the income to keep her on anymore. It made sense, the bar was losing business, no new customers were coming in. She understood, but didn't like it.

She sighed when she stripped, no pun intended, her clothes off and slipped into a short silk night dress.

Her phone rang as soon as she snuggled into her couch to watch a movie marathon to wind down.

She groaned and stretched to reach it over the arm of the couch. It was an unknown number. "Hello?"

"Ms. Shepard, this is Tony Stark, you know Iron Man. I have a job opportunity for you that no other woman has. Your pay will be triple what you're making at the bar. Are you willing to hear more?" A male voice, smug and arrogant met her ears. He practically preened when he said the first sentence.

"You have my attention." She replied, rolling his eyes at his attitude, but intrigued. "Continue."


	2. Chapter One

~Chapter One~

~Anna's P. O. V~

I frowned at the large, flashy tower that oozed arrogant attitude and technology that was every tech lovers were dream. My big job opportunity was here? At Stark Tower?

I shook my head to dislodge the questions and entered the building. It was a job, I was out of work, so I would do it. Bills wouldn't pay themselves, you know? Didn't mean I wasn't a little wary. I knew what could happen with a John if he got the wrong ideas in his head.

I jumped when a metallic voice spoke from around me, seemingly coming from nowhere. "Sir is waiting for you on the forty first floor, Miss Shepard. Please take the elevator five feet in front of you and to your left."

"How do you know my name? Who _are_ you?" I demanded, glancing around, half expecting Mr. Stark to pop out of some hidden door and yell.

"I am JARVIS, miss." The voice replied.

Uh huh, I just bet that's your name. I thought, not amused at all and walking toward the elevator. The sooner I get the job done, the sooner I get out of here.

I wasn't the only person there. I was well aware of the curious stare coming from the tall man behind me on the elevator. He was handsome, brown hair just a little past his chin, devilish good looks and grey blue eyes. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a brown hoodie. I raised my eyebrows when I saw the gloves, it was a bit warm in the building, after all.

He glanced over me, not bothering to hide the curiosity.

I my lips raise in a smirk, I wore a trench coat to hide the costume underneath. Mr. Stark was clear about what he wanted and I coordinated to the last detail.

"Isn't the weather a bit cool to wear such a long, thin coat?" The stranger asked, his voice amused.

"Isn't it too warm in the building to wear gloves?" I shot back, giving him a sickly sweet smile.

"Alright, doll, you got me there." He replied, grinning at me.

"Doll? Really?" I asked, snorting and crossing my arms over my chest.

I froze, forcing my body to remain still and to keep my face from showing my feelings. My words. Holy shit! Those were my words.

The stranger had also gone very quiet and imitated a statue, he was so still.

The elevator dinged and I ran once the doors opened, leaving the man behind. I sighed in relief when the doors closed and he hadn't followed me.

My mind was spinning. I had heard him say those words, the same words I had circling my left calf. I'd heard the stories, knew the person-or people-who say your words are supposed to be your soul mate. Had I met the first in my set?

I shook my head. No, it could have been a simple misunderstanding. More than one person could call a female doll, so it might have been a false alarm.

Yeah. I'll go with that theory.

I took deep breaths and entered myself, pushing open the double doors and walked in.

It was a living room, or furnished like one. A large living room. The latest in everything was there: furniture, electronics, technology period, decorative wall hangings and rugs.

A man who looked to be mid to late thirties, possibly forty, was sitting in a large leather arm chair. He was wearing an Iron Man shirt and pants that were too tight, a glass of Amber liquid in his hands. So, this was Tony Stark.

"Mr. Stark." I greeted, stopping two feet from the man. Even from here, I smelled things that belonged in a mechanics shop and alcohol.

"Ah, Miss. Shepard!" He bounded up and began walking gesturing for me to follow him. "Come on, come on. The fun is this way."

He led me to an elevator on the other side of the room, this one quite different. For one, it was very. . . Iron Man. The metallic and flesh faces plastered on the walls. "Okay, we are going to the lucky gentleman's private abode."

"Let me get this straight, you're paying me, for someone else?" I questioned, incredulous. Usually the men who buy my services want me for themselves.

"You're to dance for a friend of mine." He answered, sipping casually on his drink.

Friend? Yeah, okay.

"Lets get one thing clear, it's double for two. I also have some rules. One, no sex or sexual favors. Two, no touching. Three, no names. I am only to be referred to as Raven. Do not give my information out to anyone."

"Can do."

We spent the rest of the elevator ride in silence. When we arrived at the floor I was meant to entertain his friend on, Stark opened the door.

"You make yourself comfortable and I'll go fetch him." He grinned shutting the door behind me. The flat was modest, the bare minimum furnishings and requirements were there. Nothing else.

I settled on the battered tan couch and crossed my legs while I waited.

I let myself slip into the persona of Raven. I popped the disc in the stereo system in the left side of the television and rehearsed the dance I had in mind. A sexy, provocative little number that provided the most income at my previous work place.

The door opened and a five foot seven man entered. He had salt and pepper hair, glasses and kind brown eyes. He looked like the shy and lonely type.

He blinked in surprise when he spotted me.

I smiled, shed the trench coat and pushed play on the stereo. I smirked when the brown eyes widened at my very innapropitely short naughty school girl costume.

I took advantage of his surprise to push him onto the couch and begin, swaying my hips to the beat of the music.

I played with the front of my white, near see through school shirt, popping a button.

"Stop, please." He stuttered, pushing up from the couch. "Miss, uh, I think you should go."

I raised my eye brows, this was a first.

He grabbed my coat and handed it to me. "You're a lovely young lady, it was nice meeting you, now you should get dressed in appropriate clothing."

Okay. . . I officially felt like I was standing in the presence of a younger version of my grandfather. He was the only one who talked like that to me. I shuddered at the thought and shrugged into my coat.

"Could I have my CD?" I asked, pointing to the stereo.

"Your-wait. How did you get in here?" The young-old man inquired, frowning at me.

I placed the disc in its case and slid it into the large front pocket. "Mr. Stark let me in, I was under the impression that I was to entertain his friend as a sort of celebration."

He blushed, fair skin turning a cute shade of red. "Yes. Well."

"Goodbye," I offered, letting him off the hook. The poor thing was flustered enough as it was.

"Yes. Goodbye." He called.

I entered the elevator and pressed the button for the forty first floor. Mr. Stark had stretched things a bit. He would still pay me the full amount promised for my services, it wasn't my concern if the surprised John didn't want the dance.

I happened to spot the envelope when I glanced down to be sure my shoes were still tied securely.

I bent down to pick it up and checked the amount. Well, I'll be, he threw in a bonus.

I smiled, pressing the button for the lobby.

I could sleep easy tonight, the bills would be paid on time and an advance on the loan payment could be made. I was perfectly content.

Then I remembered the stranger from the previous elevator. The one who said my words.

Ah, shit. . .


	3. Chapter Two

~Chapter Two~

THREE DAYS LATER

I shifted nervously. Just because I had experience dancing didn't mean they were going to hire me.

I was currently sitting in the rival bar of my previous boss. It felt like I was betraying him, in a small way, but I needed a job and they were hiring. They were the only place hiring that had requirements I could meet.

David was speaking with his co-owner, he wanted them to make the final decision together, since they'd both technically be employing me if I was hired. I'd auditioned, submitted my resume and told him the truth when I answered his required questions. So, fingers crossed, I would be hired.

I held my breath when David turned away from his partner and walked toward the office.

We stared at each other for a few moments, me absolutely close to freaking out with nerves and his face expressionless.

He smiled. "Welcome to the family, Miss Shepard."

The breath rushed out of my lungs. Did he just say I was hired?

"Can you start tonight?" He asked, pen poised over the new work log.

"Yes." I replied, still recovering from the surprise.

"Misty will begin your training once you've had a tour of the dressing rooms and booths for the private dances." He paused when he saw the expression on my face once he said private booths. "Don't worry, nothing sexual is permitted and guards are standing by every booth in case a John doesn't get the gist. Owen and I take the safety of our girls very seriously. You're one of our girls now, so that extends to you."

I was touched and relieved that I had protection if I was expected to go into a private booth. "Thank you. See you tonight, David."

I stood and left, feeling lighter since I had steady employment. Yours truly was now working five nights a week, with bonus pay if I got called in on holidays. Hell yes!

* * *

 **Later that night**

Misty had taken most of her night to show me around and teach me some of the more basic dances. I caught on quickly since I had experience dancing, it was similar to stripping, just had more movement involved. Misty was a five foot six curvy brunette that was sweet and smart as a whip. Her best friend, Cora, was a five foot blond bombshell with a bubbly personality. I noticed that she mostly wore pig tails and naughty nurse, school girl or girl scout uniforms.

David assured me I didn't have to dance tonight, I could learn the choreography and help serve drinks when Misty and Cora were on stage. He promised to pay me for the night, which was nice, even if it was only some of what I would make if I was actually dancing. It was fair, though. His wage for waitresses for me doing waitress duties.

I was tossing around stage names while I served. I didn't want to keep my old name, it was already taken by a dancer here, and the last thing I needed was the girls thinking I was ripping off their stage names.

It was busy, nearly all the tables were packed with men. A few women, too.

I raised my eyebrows when I spotted them. That never happened at the Ravens Wing, maybe David and Owen didn't mind women customers.

By the end of the night, I'd made at least two hundred in tips. Awesome for waitress duties, no wonder they love working here. I thought, remembering the cheerful faces of the girls working the floor.

I smiled at Damon, one of the meanest and handsome bouncers in the bar, as he walked me to my car. I liked that we had that extra security. Some John's tend to linger in an attempt to talk or ask for another dance. Or, sometimes, encounters of a more sexual nature.

He nodded to me, and didn't head back to the bar until I'd started my vehicle and began to make for the parking exit.

He may look meaner than a ogre, but he was sweeter than sugar, except to unruly or plainly disrespectful customers.

I'd been avoiding any and all thoughts or memories of the man in the elevator. However, often they slipped through. Mostly questions about who he was and if he truly was the supposed piece of my soul that I'd been missing.

Stark hadn't contacted me since we made our arrangement and he'd taken me to the correct apartment suite. I wondered if the shy one told anyone about our little encounter. . . .probably not.

I contemplated calling Stark and asking him about the stranger, maybe they knew each other? I scrapped the idea, since I had only seen Stark once and spoke to him just twice.

I pushed play on my CD and soon, the music drowned out the thoughts of Stark, the strange man and soul marks.

* * *

James 'Bucky' Barnes scowled at the pile of papers, and phone books he'd been searching through. He wanted to find her!

How hard could it be to find one dame? He mentally growled, curses in several languages flying across his mind as he still came up empty handed.

Three days. That's how long this particular dame had consumed his waking thoughts, his dreams featuring a face he couldn't match with a name. He'd smell her scent, honey and fresh strawberries, every time he thought back to that moment in the elevator.

She'd said his words.

She was his. Theirs, he mentally amended, his head turning to gaze at his partner. The love of his life. His Stevie.

The punk still wasn't convinced that the mystery dame was their missing piece. He rubbed his left shoulder blade, where her words kissed his skin.

Bucky woke with them, once he'd been freed from the icy prison they'd kept him in. He'd asked where they came from, still dazed from the thawing procedure, and received a thorough reminder of why he didn't speak unless given the order.

The darkness of those times grasped him hard, flashes of their lessons making his metal hand clench so tightly, a portion of the table broke. He jerked, his mind snapping back to the present.

"Buck?" Steve asked, concerned blue eyes burning away the darkness.

"Flashback." I answered quietly, relieved that I was free of the memories for that short period of time. They came and went, some worse than others.

"You're alright. You're here with me, now. You don't have to go back, Buck, not ever." He held my gaze, emphasizing each sentence.

I nodded, taking deep breaths.

Stevie held my face in his warm hands and kissed me, chasing the last of the clingy dark away.

The rest of the night was spent in a more productive, pleasurable way.


End file.
